Lines to Live By
by hb.writes
Summary: Harvey once confided in Donna that he didn't think he would be able to raise his little sister on his own. Charlie was a good kid and he had always enjoyed spending time with her. But what did Harvey know about taking care of anyone other than himself? Especially a teenage someone with a childhood just as messed up as his.
1. Improve Your Argument

**Don't raise your voice. Improve your argument.**

* * *

"Charlotte Specter."

Charlie glanced up while purposefully avoiding the high school secretary's gaze. The woman's tone exposed the frustration she was trying to stifle. The secretary was barely older than most of the students she was required to corral into her boss's office and it showed.

Charlie was focused on the music pumping through the small buds shoved into her ears. Headphones weren't necessarily allowed in school but Charlie's long hair and the scarf wrapped around her neck hid them well enough. And at this point, she was already in trouble. She let the music drown out everything, allowing herself to feel the beat pulsing through her.

The exchange between Mr. James' secretary and Charlie Specter was almost like a game by this point in the school year. Charlie pretended not to hear her name being called and the secretary allowed it without complaint until Mr. James finally made his way out to fetch the girl himself.

Today especially, Charlie had no desire to meet with Mr. James any quicker than necessary.

Charlie's principal liked to send her home from school early on days like these. He would call Donna to let her know what was going on. Ray would pick her up and drop her at the office where, depending on Donna's mood, Donna would either let Charlie hide out in the file room or carve out a few minutes in Harvey's afternoon schedule for a lecture.

Mr. James tapped Charlie on the shoulder. She looked up to him, flashing him the briefest of smiles as she pulled the earbuds from her ears. "Hey, Ollie."

Oliver James shook his head, covering his mouth to stifle the beginnings of a laugh before answering her. "Get in there, Charlotte," he answered, thumbing towards his office.

He glanced briefly at his young secretary before following Charlie through the doorway. He felt the need to apologize to the young woman on Charlie's behalf but he refrained, offering her a silent, yet apologetic smile instead.

Charlotte Specter was one of Oliver's favorite students despite the frequency with which she found herself sent off to his office. Oliver found Charlie to be witty and charming and intelligent. She was a good kid, something which couldn't be said for all of the students he worked with. He had known her since she was just a little girl visiting her brother, and Oliver's roommate, at NYU. He couldn't help but have a soft spot for the first girl to ever ask for his hand in marriage, even if she had been under the age of five at the time.

Oliver kept an exercise ball in his office and he was unsurprised to see that Charlie had pulled it out of the corner, bouncing contentedly on the ball as she studied Oliver's facial expression. He was no longer smiling and it was clear that their connected past would not be to her benefit this time. Charlie rolled the ball back to its corner and promptly took a seat in one of the two leather chairs placed in front of his desk, despite having every intention of talking her way out of whatever punishment Oliver was thinking. Charlie was confident that he would easily understand her side once she had explained.

"You know, Charlie, I don't think that I have ever, in all my years of teaching, had a bigger pain in the ass student than you."

Charlie let out a small chuckle at his candor, stopping herself quickly when she realized that he hadn't been joking. Oliver settled his arms across his chest, leaning back slightly in his chair as he waited for Charlie to gather herself.

She quickly turned her laugh into an attempt at clearing her throat. "I find that hard to believe. I'm one of your best students, Ollie."

Oliver's left eyebrow edged up slightly. "Charlotte," he warned her.

"Right, of course. I'm one of your best students, _Mr. James_."

He exhaled forcefully. "Charlotte."

"What?" she groaned. Charlie was a little too comfortable with Oliver and with most adults in any position resembling one of authority for that matter.

"You've gotten yourself into plenty of trouble already. You may want to adjust the attitude accordingly."

At his words, Charlie slumped back in her chair, sulking. "I didn't do anything wrong, not really."

"You cannot argue with your teachers like that."

"I wasn't arguing with her. I was explaining why she was wrong. It was a class discussion."

"You were being disrespectful. I've got the write up here in front of me." Oliver motioned towards the long-winded note that had accompanied Charlie on her trip to the office.

"Well, if I'm being entirely honest, I don't think her opinion deserved my respect. She was being an ignorant, incompetent assho—"

Oliver cut her off before she had the chance to finish. "Charlotte, don't you dare finish that sentence."

Oliver continued only once Charlie had settled down. "Can you and I have this conversation like adults or should I call Donna and have her clear Harvey's schedule so the three of us can discuss it?" he asked.

Charlie shook her head furiously before folding her hands in her lap and staring at them intently. Things were always that much worse when Harvey had to unexpectedly leave work because of her. Plus, she could already hear the opening lines of Harvey's anticipated lecture.

'What have I always told you, Charlotte? _Don't raise your voice. Improve your argument._ '

Oliver watched as Charlie processed. Her face was scrunched up in thought, painted with heavy concern.

"Listen, Charlie, I know that you have a lot of opinions and you're inquisitive. I think those are great qualities, especially for someone your age. I really believe that. You're a smart kid but you don't know everything, despite the conviction. That's why you are here in this school. To learn. You're allowed your own opinion. You're allowed to express it, but you have to learn to express it respectfully. Is that understood?"

Charlie still looked like she wasn't paying him much attention, but she nodded at her cue so Oliver was satisfied that she had at least heard him even if the words had yet to sink in.

"I'm sending you home for the rest of the day. Take some time to think this through and write down 2,000 words worth of the best reflection you can come up with. I want it on my desk before first period tomorrow."

Charlie nodded vaguely. Oliver busied himself briefly with his computer, clicking through the few emails that had arrived in his inbox during his meeting with Charlie. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was clearly frustrated, but he now watched as she worked through what to say next.

Charlie let out a huff, looking up at him as he stayed focused on the screen. "Ollie?"

He looked away from the screen and gave Charlie his full attention.

"I'm sorry. Really, I am. I heard what you said and I'll try to be better. Please don't send me home early. Just let me stay until the end of the day. Please?"

"I'm sorry, kid," he answered. "I appreciate the apology, but it's non-negotiable."

Despite Oliver's extensive education and years of experience in dealing with teenagers, he knew that Harvey was better equipped to deal with Charlie. Harvey understood Charlie because the two were so alike in many ways. Oliver had years of firsthand experience supporting the fact that Specters were famously known for being major pains in the ass.

Charlie looked defeated. Her hands jumped to her stomach as it released a long growl, her cheeks flashing pink in embarrassment.

"Did you miss lunch because of this mess?"

Charlie nodded and Oliver reached into his desk, pulling out a lunch box. He took out half of a sandwich before passing it across the table to her. "You're lucky I like you, kid."

Charlie did not feel lucky though she wasn't sure if other principals would put up with her as patiently as Ollie did. He dialed the number for Harvey's office as Charlie took a bite of her half of Oliver's peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Charlie could hear the line pick up on the other end as Oliver set the machine to speakerphone. "Harvey Specter's office."

"Hello, Donna," Oliver said, the hint of a smirk touching his lips.

"What did she do now?"


	2. Doesn't Mean It's True

**Just because a pretty girl tells you a story doesn't mean it's true.**

* * *

"It's Charlotte Specter. C-H-A-R-L-O-T-T-E-space-S-P-E-C-T-E-R. Or maybe it's under Charlie Specter?"

It wasn't the type of mistake that Donna tended to make, but at this point, Charlie was ready to give out her middle name, date of birth, and social security number to gain access to Pearson-Hardman.

She passed her school ID across the desk to the bored-looking suit on the other side accompanied by a NYPL card and the credit card that held both Charlotte and Harvey's names.

"You've seen me here a million times before. My brother works at Pearson-Hardman. Harvey Specter. He has a big corner office…kind of an important person in this building."

Harvey wouldn't like hearing her use that description to get her way but she and the security officer had been at it for over ten minutes and a line was forming behind her.

"Mr. Specter doesn't have any visitors registered for this afternoon," he answered, barely concealing the shrug of his shoulders.

Charlotte groaned, pulling her ID back and stashing it in her bag. "That's probably because he wasn't expecting me to get out of school so early and he's been busy in meetings so he hasn't gotten any of his messages. I swear I'm his sister. I come here at least once a week. I have to be in your stupid system."

Charlie slammed her open palm down on the counter. The security guard stared back at the girl as if he couldn't care less who she was or where her intended destination was.

"You know what? Just call Donna Paulsen. She'll verify."

Charlie started to list off Donna's direct line, which she had committed to memory years ago but the man held up a hand to silence her while he dialed the number he knew by heart.

Letting out a frustrated huff when she finally reached Donna's desk, Charlie dropped her bag to the floor. Donna glanced up from her computer screen only briefly while typing. Charlotte's school blazer was slung carelessly over her shoulder. Her white oxford shirt was pulled out of the top of her maroon plaid shirt and the sleeves were carelessly rolled up to her elbows, purposefully slouchy. The top few buttons were undone, revealing the lace-lined tank top beneath and she wore sheer black tights with black booties. Donna smirked knowing that she was skirting along the edges of her school's dress code.

Charlie had changed so significantly from the little country girl in pigtails Donna had met years before and it continued to take Donna by surprise.

"Nice shoes," Donna commented.

"Thanks," Charlie answered, admiring them herself as she pulled her heel up off the ground. "I just got 'em."

"Dress code changed recently?" Donna asked.

Charlotte shrugged and Donna smiled.

"You know better than to irritate our good friends in security, Charlie."

" _He_ was the one irritating _me_ ," she answered, "A complete imbecile."

"I'm sure," Donna answered as she momentarily directed her attention back to her computer screen, glancing quickly at an incoming email.

"So, I'm actually not feeling very well. I think I'm a little feverish."

"You're sick?" Donna's voice exuded pure skepticism as she glanced back at Charlotte, her fingers still busy typing a quick response to the received email. Donna knew it was bullshit, but she didn't fault Charlie for the attempt.

"I think so," Charlie answered, leaning on the edge of Donna's cubicle.

"I already spoke to Ollie. You know that, don't you?" Donna answered.

"Yeah, I know. I was there. But don't you think Harvey has enough to deal with without adding a silly little thing like this to his schedule? It would be easiest if we just let it go."

"You know, Charlie? I think you're right."

"I knew you—"

"Your brother's schedule is busy enough without adding your recklessness to the list. He's been completely booked this whole week and I wouldn't be surprised if this puts him over the edge. Do you think I've been looking forward to telling him? His agenda is full, Charlotte. _Completely full_."

Donna looked pointedly at the girl she had come to think of as a younger sister. She cared immeasurably for Charlie and had a continuously growing soft spot for her but Donna was protective of Harvey's professional life. When it came down to it, Donna was really just protective of Harvey in general.

"I'm sorry," Charlie answered honestly. "Really, I am. And isn't that all the better reason to just keep the message to ourselves then?"

Harvey passed behind Charlie on the way to his office door, tapping her on her shoulder and beckoning her to follow in his wake. She rushed to pick up her bag, following him through the door and letting the door shut behind her.

"Why are you here and what message are you begging Donna to keep from me?" he asked.

Harvey leaned against the front of his desk, folding his arms across his chest as he watched Charlie tentatively move closer to where he stood. She stopped a few paces away from him and checked over her shoulder to see that Donna was still at her desk, seemingly uninterested in their conversation.

"Just um…I got sent home early. I'm a little…sick to my stomach and I didn't want to bother you with it."

"You're a _little_ sick to your stomach?" Harvey asked doubtfully, swiftly closing the distance between them and placing the back of his hand to Charlie's forehead.

Harvey noticed that his sister's cheeks were a bit flushed. He moved his hand around the back of Charlotte's neck, exposed because her hair was pulled into a messy bun on top of her head and the tie typically around her collar was nonexistent. Charlie felt warm to her brother's touch, but not by much.

"You really don't feel well?" he asked, trying to look her in the eye though she wasn't looking up to him.

She nodded. Harvey's hand remained resting on the back of Charlie's neck.

"Well, you can take a nap here. Donna can order you some soup and I'll have Mike take you to the doctor on his lunch break."

"I don't need any of that, just some rest. Maybe Ray could just drop me off at home?" Charlie wasn't eager to make Mike lose his lunch and she knew Donna wouldn't be happy about ordering soup for her. She also wasn't eager to see a doctor who would diagnose her solely as a liar.

"Is that what you want?" he asked.

Charlie nodded and Harvey let out something close to an amused snort.

"I'm sure that's exactly what you want. Donna, I want my messages. All of them."

Harvey glanced to Charlie. "Anything you feel inclined to tell me before I listen to those messages, Charlie?"

She shrugged out of his grip and tossed her bag on the couch, a sulk finding its way to her face.

"Take a seat," Harvey said as he took his own seat behind the desk. "Are you going to tell me the truth from the start or should I just get Oliver on the phone?"

Charlie hesitated for a second and Harvey shifted, about to request for Donna to get his sister's principal on the line.

"Harvey, it's stupid, really. I swear. I actually—"

"Charlie, I'm going to stop you right there."

"But Harv—" she complained.

"No, Charlie. I want the truth. Not just your version of it. Not a story. The truth. I'm well aware that _just because a pretty girl gives you a story, doesn't mean it's true._ Especially when it's you."

He placed his finger on the intercom. Charlie stood up to push his hand away. "Stop it, Harvey. I'm not going to lie to you."

"Well, just keep in mind that I'm a lawyer. And I'm your brother. And I know you better than anyone. Don't perjure yourself."

"I'm not under oath, but I won't," she answered, sitting back down.

"Start by not fumbling with your skirt. Confidence is key, kid."

Charlie's fingers immediately released her skirt and she looked up to Harvey's smirk, annoyance surging through her. "Fine, you know what? I don't even care if you get mad!" she answered.

She found the depth to which Harvey knew her and her habits frustrating. He was, and always had been, a great predictor of her moods and the resulting actions. Harvey often spoke the thoughts being considered in Charlie's head before they became completely molded in her own mind. At her outburst, Harvey was no longer feigning his interest in what his sister had to say and he leaned forward in his chair.

"Alright, let's hear it then," Harvey invited Charlie to continue.

Harvey hoped that his sister would learn to control her frustration and act with a little less impulsivity as she approached adulthood. Both traits served him well now but if Charlie was to be successful in life Harvey knew she would need to make herself into less of an easy read.

Charlie and Harvey found themselves in a glaring match while she sorted out what exactly she intended to say.

"Harvey, my office, now."

Jessica had pushed the door open, poking her head in and smiling for a moment when she saw Harvey's younger sister sitting across from him. Jessica liked the girl. She liked that Charlie gave Harvey a hard time. Dealing with Charlie was like Harvey having to deal with a little dose of himself and Jessica had noted on more than one occasion that Charlie's daily presence in his life made Harvey a little more human.

"Hello, Charlotte. It's good to see you."

"You too, Jessica," Charlotte answered with a smile in her direction.

"How are your grades?" she asked.

"All A's," Charlotte answered, knowing that to be Jessica's main concern.

"Very good. Harvey, I'll be in my office when you're ready."

Harvey nodded to Jessica and she let the door close while he watched her go. Harvey stood up and buttoned his jacket, knowing that he couldn't let Jessica wait for long. Despite his interest in what Charlie had to say, his work had to come first.

"We're not finished here. Get started on your homework. Don't leave this office. And tuck that shirt in. I don't pay all this money so you can walk around looking like a delinquent."


	3. According to Me

**'According to me' is the only 'according to' that matters.**

* * *

Charlie flung herself down on the couch in Harvey's office and pulled a book from the khaki messenger bag she had deposited there earlier. Now that she had calmed down, Charlie wished that she hadn't been so candid with her brother.

She texted Mike, requesting that he stop by if he had a spare moment in his afternoon. Mike Ross hadn't been working for Harvey for very long but he and Charlie had bonded quickly. Charlie found it easier to confide in Mike. He was much more understanding and he knew how to keep a secret if she asked him to. If Harvey was just coming to think of Mike as a younger brother figure, Charlie had already adopted him as an extra big brother.

Within five minutes, Charlie was scooting over to give Mike a place to sit down beside her. He unbuttoned his suit as he sat and placed his feet up on Harvey's coffee table. "What are you doing here?" Mike asked, picking up the book she had been reading and glancing at the title before setting it aside.

"Not moving from this office until Master Harvey allows otherwise," Charlie answered in a tone that Mike noted was fully intended to mock his boss.

"That's not what I meant. Why aren't you at school?" he asked as he shook out his wrist and checked his watch. It was still early afternoon.

"Oh, that," Charlie answered with a brief smile. She shifted closer to Mike and put her feet up beside his.

"Yeah, that," Mike conceded.

"I may have been sent home early on somewhat questionable terms."

"Questionable terms. I see. Does Harvey know that yet?"

"He has his suspicions. Haven't discussed the details yet. Jessica stole him away before word vomit took over."

Mike laughed. "Lucky. What was it this time?"

"Well, I was in US Gov—"

Mike had shifted away from Charlie so he could observe her face better. Judging by the look on Mike's own face, Charlie could tell that he was not remotely impressed but he wanted her to continue.

"Just listen, Mike. It was all Heskett's fault. She's such a—" Charlie intended on filling in the space with a curse of some sort, but she let out a frustrated groan instead.

"He might kill you, Charlie. Hell, I kind of want to kill you."

Charlie's Government teacher, Isabelle Heskett, was the youngest daughter of one of Harvey's more difficult to please clients. Mike watched Charlie, shaking his head. He had spent limitless hours working on the Heskett account but they were still barely making progress. Negotiations on the merger were at a near standstill. Mike couldn't fully blame Charlie for that, but he knew that Mr. Heskett and his people were notoriously petty. It wasn't entirely uncommon for the subject of Charlie and Isabelle's connection to come up either before or directly following a business meeting with Mr. Heskett and it was rarely a positive discussion.

"You have gotta stop getting in trouble, and especially with her."

"No, Mike, please just listen to me."

Mike nodded, settling himself in for the story. Mike was always willing to listen.

"She was giving us this diatribe during the debate, spouting all this false information and I just offered my opinion, supported completely by fact by the way. And apparently, that was a 'gross act of disrespect'…her words, not mine. It's just ridiculous. She sends me off to Ollie for just breathing the wrong way. Plus, she's a goddamn imbecile. She wouldn't know the law if it hit her in the head. I'm not meant to be smarter than someone with a master's degree."

Mike could hear Harvey in clips and phrases as he listened to Charlie talk. He would never tell either of them, but Charlotte and Harvey were so alike that it could be almost too much at times. But Mike liked them both and cared for them both, even if they could be a pain in the ass.

Charlie delved further into her explanation while Mike continued to listen. If he hadn't known better than to encourage Charlie too strongly, Mike would have told Charlie that her argument was sound and had more depth and was more knowledgeable than he had seen from associates he worked with in the bullpen. But Mike knew Harvey wouldn't appreciate him encouraging Charlie's behavior. He kept his praise light.

"Charlie, you're right. I know that you know your stuff but Harvey is still going to kill you."

"He won't kill me. I'm his favorite sister."

Charlie offered Mike a smile. Favorite sister, only sister. Same difference.

"Favorite sister or not, you're not making his bad day any better."

"Bad day? He seemed fine." Charlie was typically good at picking up on these things, especially when it related to her brother.

"Right before you got here, Heskett put the merger on hold again." Mike shook out his watch to check the time. "And I better get back to work on that."

"Seriously? Goddamnit! She is such a crazy bitch." Charlie made the connection that Mike was avoiding in his own mind. He didn't want to blame Charlie for his extra work, for Harvey's grumpiness, or for a botched merger.

"What was that, Charlotte?" Harvey had slipped into the room, unnoticed by either Mike or Charlotte.

"Nothing," she answered quietly.

"Right." Harvey's eyes lingered on his sister until she looked away and he shifted his stare to his associate. "Back to work, pup. I don't pay you to put your feet up and entertain my kid sister. I can hire a nanny for that."

Mike excused himself without a sarcastic comment and Charlie pulled her book back onto her lap. Harvey took his time with pouring himself a drink before sitting down in the seat adjacent to his sister's spot on the couch. He noticed that Charlie shifted further away from him and he took a sip of his drink, feeling the room temperature liquid burn a bit in his throat.

"So, I think you were just about to tell me exactly why Pearson-Hardman has been blessed with your presence this afternoon."

Charlie's eyes stayed on her book. "Let's just skip to the part where you tell me I'm grounded," she replied, her tone dull.

"I'm not playing games, Charlie." Harvey set his drink down on the end table and focused his undivided attention on his sister.

"It's not a big deal. I didn't even get in trouble, not really anyway."

"Charlotte." Harvey waited for her eyes to meet his. "I want you to put the book away and tell me what you did. Right now."

She followed his direction, closing the book and setting it on top of her bag. "All I did was stand up for what was right, Harvey. I did exactly what I was taught to do, what _you_ taught me to do."

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"She was lying. She was just making stuff up. And when I pointed it out, that stupid teacher said that _I_ was wrong. That _I_ was the one making it up, that _I_ hadn't done my research. I always do my research. I proved that idiot wrong and she just didn't like it. She said I was being 'disrespectful' and sent me to Ollie's office and—"

''Which teacher?" Harvey asked, his voice low as it interrupted her rant. He already knew who his sister was in trouble with. It had become a theme of sorts over the course of the school year. Charlie froze, staring back at Harvey, cringing as she met his eye. She knew Harvey wouldn't kill her like Mike had suggested but he was still intimidating when angry. "Which teacher are you talking about, Charlotte?"

She looked at her shoes. "Promise you're not going to yell."

"I'm not going to promise you a damn thing and I won't ask the question again."

"It was Heskett. If you'd just hear me out, you'd agree with me. And according to Mike—"

"No, Charlotte, I'm not going to hear you out and I don't give a shit what my associate thinks. _According to **me** is the only 'according to' that matters_ as far as you're concerned. And according to my memory, you were supposed to be letting this little feud go."

Charlie shifted back towards him. "She started it. She was just being a bitch because—"

"Charlotte, I've heard enough," he shouted, "You're grounded. Get your homework finished."

Charlie grumbled. Harvey hadn't even entertained her side of things.

"And when you're finished with that, you can help organize the Coleman briefs. We'll discuss this at home."

In the process of getting her books back onto the couch, she felt the need to have the final word. "You already said I'm grounded. I think that pretty much sums it up."

"Charlotte, drop the attitude."

Harvey thought he might lose it as he watched his little sister's eyes roll in her head. Sometimes he missed the more easy-going little girl Charlie had once been. She had always been a bit too serious, a little too grown up and aware of things, but at least she hadn't talked back to him back then. "Give me your phone."

"But—" she started.

"I would prefer not to humiliate you here in front of everyone, Charlotte. Just do as I ask."

Charlie slipped the phone into Harvey's hand. Before she could walk back to the couch, his free hand clasped around her wrist. "And no more distracting my associate. He's got extra work to do to make up for the fact that you can't keep your mouth shut."


	4. The Youngest

**The youngest one's turning into a real pain in the ass.**

* * *

It was late when Harvey and Charlotte arrived home from the office Thursday evening. Harvey hated having to put in the extra hours as they neared the weekend, and he especially hated doing it for a pain in the ass client like Heskett. They had barely made any headway though he, Mike, Donna, and Rachel worked straight through dinner. Mike was still at the office, sorting through the mess. On coming through the door, Harvey headed straight for his makeshift bar, pouring himself a drink and taking a sip.

Charlie lingered just inside the doorway, watching her brother. She could feel the tension, the stress. It melted away a little as he sipped his drink, staring out the window. Usually, Harvey and Mike working was an awe-inspiring thing to watch, but not this case. This case was just annoying to everyone who had their hands in it. Watching the group work through the case's newest obstacle had bothered Charlie, whether she had actually had a hand in it or not.

"Go get ready for bed, Charlie." Harvey spoke the words with his back to her, running a hand through his hair once he heard the shuffle of her feet as she moved towards the bedroom. Though Harvey had insinuated that they would discuss her punishment later, he still needed a minute to decompress. It had been a long day for both of them. Charlie was more than willing to postpone the conversation. She had headed to her bedroom without a word, dragging her school bag behind her on the hardwood floors.

Harvey looked out the window at the city below. His apartment had an expensive view, but he wouldn't give it up for anything. He had lived there for almost as long as he had been working at Pearson-Hardman. The place had always been his refuge. It still was his refuge now, even if he did share it with his kid sister.

Charlie understood that her brother liked to keep the space neat and organized. The calm of the apartment was a necessary part of his life and Charlie made a conscious effort to contain her material possessions to her bedroom for the most part. Harvey couldn't help but think that when it really came down to it, he had gotten beyond lucky with Charlie. But Harvey didn't really believe in luck. Charlie was a good kid because she was raised right and because she had a good heart. They respected each other and it showed.

Charlie still had to finish the essay for Oliver. She removed her contacts and changed into leggings and a sweatshirt before climbing into bed with her laptop.

"I thought I told you to go to bed." Harvey set his glass of scotch on Charlie's desk after slipping through the partially open bedroom door.

"Actually, you told me to get ready for bed. I would like to present exhibit A for the court, your honor." Charlie pulled back the covers, exposing that she was wearing pajamas as he had requested. Although a smiled fleetingly played on his lips, Harvey didn't allow himself to laugh.

"You know what I meant," he said.

"I have to finish an essay for Ollie."

"How much do you have left?"

"A page or so," she mused.

"One hour."

Charlie nodded, focusing her attention back on the laptop as Harvey shut her door. She worked on the essay only because she knew from previous experience that Oliver actually read them. He would give it back to her for revision if it wasn't up to par.

It was a little over an hour later when Harvey remembered to check in on Charlie. Her laptop sat precariously on the edge of her bed as Charlie lay snoozing beside it. Harvey placed the new MacBook Air safely on her desk. Harvey no longer remembered how many times he had reminded her to be careful with the goddamn thing. And to be careful with the expensive cell phone. And with the tablet. And with herself. Charlie had been less than graceful and slightly accident prone for as long as Harvey could remember, though she had never broken more than her little pinky toe.

Harvey pulled Charlie's blanket up to cover her body and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. If his sister was spoiled, it was primarily his doing and Harvey was well aware of that. Their father had never had the means to pamper her with much of anything aside from love, but Harvey had always tried to take care of her whether she asked for it or not. Harvey kept Charlie in good schools, good clothes, and there wasn't much she wanted for, especially now that she lived under his roof.

When compared to Harvey and Marcus, he knew that Charlie had had the more difficult start in life. He placed an unwarranted obligation on himself to make up for the parts of her life that had been difficult. He hoped that she didn't remember much. She seemed well-adjusted now, but he couldn't always be sure. Charlie had always been resilient, but she had taken Gordon Specter's death hard. She had been the only one there when it had happened.

When his father died, Harvey agonized over what to with the sister left in his care. Charlie was a born and raised country girl. She thrived on running around outside for hours, coming home muddy and tired from all the sun and fresh air. He hated to uproot her from small-town life and everything she knew in order to being her to the city, but Harvey had a feeling she needed a fresh start. He had needed that very same thing at one time.

And Harvey couldn't conceive the idea of moving himself back to his hometown. It would have been certain hell for him. His career with Pearson-Hardman had been climbing at a rapid pace; he couldn't have let that opportunity go. The job allowed him to have the lifestyle he had come to covet. It allowed him to provide for Charlie. He couldn't imagine any other type of life now. New York was home to both of them at this point.

It was near 5:00 AM when Charlie rolled out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make coffee. She still had to finish writing her essay for Oliver and she hated herself just a little for falling asleep before it was completed. Charlie clunked around the kitchen, setting up the coffee maker and pulling a clean mug from the cabinet. She was barely what one would call 'awake.'

"You're up early." Harvey walked behind Charlie, mussing up her already messy hair as he walked straight to the window. It was still dark, the city's lights still bright spots in the black.

"Sorry I woke you," she mumbled, her eyes trained on the coffee maker, willing the contents to brew faster.

"You didn't." Harvey barely slept these days. Charlie tended to keep late hours herself, but Harvey was always up later than her and woke earlier in the mornings. He went through phases like that when he was overworked. When the coffee maker beeped, Charlie took a mug to her brother first.

"Thanks for tucking me in last night." Charlie handed the mug to Harvey, scorching her fingertips as she held the handle out for him to take.

Harvey took a sip and glanced at her. "It's a good thing I did since you left your laptop hanging off the end of the bed again."

Charlie cringed. She felt guilty that Harvey had even bought it for her to begin with. She had never owned anything so expensive. "Sorry, I guess I was tired," she offered.

"Maybe we need to set an earlier bedtime for you." Charlie didn't have a bedtime, but as a general rule, Harvey encouraged her to turn the lights out when it neared midnight.

"I think we both need earlier bedtimes."

Harvey snorted softly, giving her a small smile. Charlie left his side, pulling a leg up to set underneath her body as she sipped her own coffee in front of her laptop.

"Finish up that essay so we can put this all behind us," Harvey said with a knowing glance at the laptop.

Charlie nodded and eventually Harvey settled next to her, flipping through the morning paper while she typed away on her laptop. A little over an hour later, Charlie was close to being finished when Harvey fished his ringing cellphone out of the pocket of his sweatpants.

"Hey," he said.

Charlie glared at Harvey, hearing the huskiness in his tone. Whoever it was, Charlie could tell that it was a woman, that he was interested, and that it was certainly not business related. There had not been a single girlfriend over the years that Charlie had liked and Harvey had had many.

"When should I expect you?" he asked.

Charlie pulled up her Facebook page to pass the time while Harvey finished his conversation.

"Sure thing, Scottie. I'll make a reservation for that place on Madison and I'll figure something out for Charlie."

This time Charlie made sure that Harvey noted her glare. He raised an eyebrow and made a gesture towards her laptop screen. Charlie ignored his hint to log off and turned away from him, continuing to scroll through her friends' updates though she was intently listening to his side of the conversation. Harvey let out a frustrated exhale when his sister didn't comply.

"What's going on here?" Harvey repeated the question while rubbing the back of his head, "Oh, nothing. Charlie and I were just about to have a little chat."

Charlie sent another glare in his direction while simultaneously shoving her heel into his calf.

"Fun? No. Consider yourself lucky to be an only child. You never had the pleasure of dealing with younger siblings. _The youngest one's turning into a real pain in the ass_ these days."

Harvey watched Charlie. He reached out to rest his hand on the back of her chair. She quickly slammed the laptop shut and shoved his hand away from her. "I gotta go, Scottie."

Harvey set the phone down on the counter before turning to Charlie. "What is with you trying to break that goddamn thing?"

"What is with you telling Scottie stuff like that? What's with you trying to get me a babysitter so you can go sleep with her?" Charlie turned away from him, ready to gather her things and hustle to her own bedroom. Harvey grabbed her arm before she could even slip out of the chair.

"Hey." Harvey's voice was light. "What the hell was that?" he asked as he swiveled Charlie's chair so that she was facing him.

"Let me go." Charlie pulled at Harvey's fingers, working to release his grip.

"Cool it, Charlie. You're already in trouble."

"I don't care. I need to get ready for school."

Harvey glanced at the clock above the stove. It was almost 6:30. They both still needed to shower and get ready for the day. He wasn't in the mood to be late and they still needed to have a real conversation about whatever was going on with Charlie, especially after this. Harvey let his hand drop. "You've got twenty minutes. Go get ready."

Charlie looked towards the clock and then back to Harvey. "I've got an hour."

"You've got twenty minutes," Harvey repeated.


	5. Mad at You

**I don't wanna keep being mad at you, but you keep doing the same shit.**

* * *

Charlie's hair was still wet, appearing more of a brown shade than blonde, and she was only half dressed for school when Harvey pushed her door open without knocking. She saw Harvey's reflection in the mirror and stopped her body from swaying. She turned down her music, focusing on her own reflection in the mirror as she fixed her makeup and avoided Harvey's gaze. Harvey had smirked when his gaze met hers in the mirror. He couldn't stop himself when he saw her dancing. Sometimes his sister was uncharacteristically such a stereotypical teenage girl that it almost always caught him off guard. But Harvey liked it. Charlie deserved a chance at a stereotypical childhood.

"We need you on stage in two minutes, Ginger," he said.

Charlie turned to scowl at him. Harvey had a pop-culture reference stashed away for every occasion and an incessant need to make sure Charlie had an appreciation for said references.

"You know, jealousy is a terrible thing, Harvey. No need to pick on me because you can't dance."

"I know how to dance just fine, sweetheart," he said, checking his watch as he straightened it on his wrist. "And now you've got one minute."

"I'm not ready yet," she answered nonchalantly.

"I don't care," Harvey said.

"I just need five more minutes."

"And I just need a sister that isn't a consistent pain in the ass."

"I'm sorry having me for a sister is such a goddamn inconvenience for you."

Harvey took two steps into the room. "You want to try that one again?" he asked.

"You started it," she answered quietly.

"Drop the angst and get your ass moving." Harvey walked back through the door, leaving it open as he went.

"Screw you, Harvey."

Charlie had mumbled the words mostly to herself but Harvey had heard them. He let it go and walked back to the living room to finish checking emails. Charlie stomped over to her door, shutting it harder than necessary, but not slamming it before finishing up. She was annoyed with Harvey but she knew it wasn't in her best interest to make him wait.

She slumped down onto the couch while Harvey sat at the table, focused on his laptop screen. After a few quiet moments, she exhaled noisily, shifting in her seat. He glanced up at Charlie and gave her a pointed look, deciding that she could wait. Harvey was more concerned with his work emails than with Charlie's apparent impatience.

"Can you just tell me how long I'm grounded for so we can get going?" she asked. Charlie hated the waiting. She knew she was grounded. She knew that he wanted to talk about what she did and make it clear he didn't approve. Charlie just wanted to get it over with and move along.

Harvey pulled his eyes away from an email from Jessica. He exhaled, not thrilled that this was how Charlie was going to start off the conversation and also not thrilled about the mess awaiting him at the office.

Harvey had always been good with Charlie but something had changed when he signed on as her guardian. Charlie became a little more defiant, a little less accepting of his authority. Harvey had changed too. He was a little quicker to get fed up with the witty comments that he had once found funny when their father had been the one receiving them.

"If you don't cut the shit, you'll be ground until you've got a Ph.D."

Charlie shrugged and Harvey pushed his laptop away, turning towards her. Charlie's default when confronting a situation where she was in trouble was apathy and it drove Harvey mad. It reminded him of himself and Marcus at the same age. He knew it was just a phase and nothing more than a performance on her part, but that didn't stop it from getting under Harvey's skin.

She hated to be "in trouble" with anyone, but she was too proud to back off once she had already started down a path. And like any younger sibling, Charlie couldn't help herself from pushing Harvey's buttons. She was almost methodical about it, pushing just a bit at a time to see how far she could go. At this point, it was merely instances of fine-tuning.

"Charlie, _I don't wanna keep being mad at you, but you keep doing the same shit_. You have a knack for making our lives a hell of a lot harder than they need to be."

"I'm not making anything harder than it needs to be," she argued.

"Well, you're certainly not making my job any easier…as your brother or as a lawyer."

Charlie's eyes shot to him quickly before moving back to her hands. "I didn't mean to make your job any harder," she said, the words flowing out of her like a reflex.

Her tone was genuine and there hadn't been even the slightest hint of sarcasm in what she said. Harvey felt his shoulders relax. "I know, kid."

"So, why am I being treated like some goddamn common criminal here? It's not like I committed a murder."

"Enough with the dramatics," Harvey said.

"And what about Heskett? She started all of this anyway," Charlie continued, Harvey's words hadn't even registered as she spoke over him.

Charlie hadn't intended on fighting him so hard but something was quickly chipping away at her patience. As had become commonplace in their relationship, Harvey was the closest target for the release of Charlie's frustrations, whether they were well-placed or not. When it came down to it, Harvey was her best friend. Shure, there were a few kids she considered to be friends at school, but with Charlie and Harvey, it was different.

"Let's focus on you," Harvey said.

"Why? It was just as much her fault as mine."

"Mostly because you're a kid and she's an adult."

There was no response from Charlie. Harvey knew that his sister would never respond to that line of logic even as he spoke the words. Charlie had thought of herself as an adult from the age of four and the closer she got to the legal distinction, the less accepting she became of justifications exactly of the sort Harvey had just used. Harvey couldn't exactly disagree with her. For the most part, Charlie was more mature than the majority of teenagers and adults he interacted with. Aside from her unremitting need to be right all the time, that is.

"And because I know that I taught you to know better. And if you know better, you can do better. Just let this thing go, Charlie. I don't want the back story. I don't care what the issue is. I just want you to end it. Be the bigger person. Be the smarter person."

Charlie didn't dismiss him and she was biting on her bottom lip. "You say that like it's so easy."

"It's not. I know that but you're going to have to work with people you don't like for the rest of your life. You might as well figure out how to do it well right now. I have to deal with Louis on a daily basis. I think you can manage to hold your tongue for the rest of the semester."

"It's not the same, Harv. And when exactly is the last time you held your tongue?"

Harvey tried not to laugh as Charlie stared at him, all business. "I keep it professional. I expect you to do the same." He watched her for a reaction, but Charlie was trying her hardest to stay neutral. In her silence, he continued. "Actually, Charlotte, I expect better of you. You're my responsibility and your actions are a reflection on me. I hold you to a higher standard than most people. You need to learn to show respect to people whether or not you agree with them."

Charlie's eyes rolled in her head. "Whatever, Harvey."

"No, it's not whatever, Charlotte." Frustration crept into Harvey's voice as he looked at Charlie with her arms pulled tight across her chest. He would have been happy to never hear the word 'whatever' ever again in his life. Charlie knew that he hated the word. She made a conscious effort to use it less, though it came in handy when she trying to push his buttons.

"I don't want to hear about any more problems in that class or in any of your classes for that matter. You need to learn to control yourself. Stop being so goddamn hot-headed and impulsive."

Charlie stared out the window, too angry with her brother to make eye contact. She got her hot-headed impulsivity for him, but Charlie knew voicing that argument would only serve to piss him off. She waited for the anger welling up inside of her to pass so she could speak calmly. "How long am I grounded for?" she asked.

"Two weeks."

"Fine," she agreed.

"And I want you to apologize."

"I'm sorry," Charlie answered, though she knew that wasn't what Harvey had meant.

"Charlie…"

"No," Charlie answered without looking up to him.

"You're not in a position to tell me 'no'. you either apologize on your own accord or I'll walk you into that classroom myself." Moments like this, Harvey reminded himself of his father. He wondered if their Dad ever got this type of pushback.

"I'm not apologizing to her, Harvey. I'm not sorry."

"Then you better make a very convincing show of it. Shouldn't be too hard. You went to theater camp that one summer." Harvey remembered the summer well. He had paid for the two-week long session in the city. He had taken half days and she had stayed with him. Charlie had driven him close to crazy by singing musical theater numbers and insisting on performing for him in every spare moment he had.

Charlie made to stand up. "Are we done?"

"No, Charlotte, we are not done. I'll let you know when we're done."

Charlie leaned her head back against the sofa, groaning softly. "I get the point. I'm grounded. I'm a terrible person. Whatever."

That goddamn word again. Charlie pretended not to notice as Harvey clenched and unclenched his fist. "You were in the wrong here, kid. I need to hear you acknowledge that."

"No, Harvey. That's just your opinion. You didn't even hear me out. You just assumed—"

"Don't ever suggest that I haven't done my due diligence, especially when it comes to you."

Charlie closed her mouth. Harvey was always more prepared than he appeared to be and she knew it.

"It was a sound argument, Charlotte," he said.

A smirk played on Charlie's lips, but she quickly leaned into her hand, hiding the smile. Harvey rolled his eyes. Part of him wished that his praise wasn't so important to her, but he doubted that Charlie would ever stop trying to impress her big brother.

"You're brilliant, Charlie but what you did…it's just not the right way to prove a point. And if you're looking to make me proud, well, pulling a stunt like that gets you nowhere with me. I think you already know that."

Charlie was picking at her nails in her lap.

"And if I hear of something like this happening again, you won't just be grounded for a couple of weeks." Harvey's polished dress shoes edged their way into Charlie's field of view and she looked up to him. His hands were in his pockets and he was watching her expectantly. "Did you hear what I said, Charlotte?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry," she said after a long pause.

Harvey sat down beside Charlie, pulling her closer to him with an arm. "Now, when you apologize to Heskett, I want you to say it just like that. Do you want to practice on me a couple more times? I never get tired of a contrite version of Charlie."

Charlie elbowed her brother and he laughed heartily, letting her settle against his side. Harvey debated whether or not he wanted to start another argument with her now that they were both feeling content. Part of him knew that it would be easier for everyone to just let the whole thing with Scottie go…

"So, do you want to tell me what you got so upset about earlier?" he asked. His tone wasn't antagonizing, but Charlie still took it as such.

"I don't need a babysitter," she mumbled, not picking her head up from his chest.

"It's not a babysitter. It's hanging out with Donna or Mike or Rachel. Or if you're really lucky, I think Louis might be free."

Charlie raised an eyebrow as she glanced up at him.

"Charlie, you're grounded. What kind of brother would I be if I let you go unsupervised to roam the city on a Saturday night."

"You'd be an awesome brother," she answered.

"I thought I already was an awesome brother. Who says I'm not awesome?"

"Everyone says it."

"No one says that."

Charlie sat up. You just don't trust me to stay home alone, Harvey."

"Correct. We're on the same page."

Charlie groaned, taking one of the throw pillows and hitting him gently. "Harvey! I can stay here by myself while you and Scottie go on your stupid little date."

Harvey took the offending pillow from her hand. "It's not a date."

"Booty call. Fine. Call it whatever you want to call it. I don't care so long as I don't have to see it."

"Charlotte, what's the problem here?"

Charlie generally didn't mind being pawned off on Mike, Rachel, and Donna. She liked them, but she had never liked Scottie, not that Charlie had ever really given her much of a chance. She had never really liked or given a chance to any of the women Harvey dated. Charlie tried to shift away from him, but Harvey kept her close.

"I just don't like her," Charlie answered, "She's insufferable."

"Insufferable, huh? Well if that's all it is," Harvey answered, scoffing at her answer. They both knew it wasn't an adequate explanation, but Charlie didn't offer anything else. "Good thing you're not the one seeing her then."

"I see her a heck of a lot more than I'd like to." Harvey raised an eyebrow and Charlie continued. "Like when you force me to have a civilized dinner with her."

"Alright—"

"And when she sneaks out of your bedroom—"

"I said alright, Charlotte."

This time, it was Charlie who raised an eyebrow and scoffed. She was sixteen, not stupid.


	6. I Win

**I win. That's what I do.**

* * *

Charlie laid awake in bed listening to the sound of Harvey moving through the apartment. She rolled over, glancing briefly at the clock on her nightstand. It was barely 5:30 but Charlie was surprised that Harvey hadn't barged in to wake her yet. Maybe he was growing soft now that the dust had settled.

"Time to get up, Charlie." Harvey's voice was muffled as it filtered through her bedroom door. Charlie preemptively pulled the covers over her head wishing to stay in bed for a few more hours. She closed her eyes, feeling the strong pull of sleep. "Charlotte, get up."

"Leave me alone." Charlie groaned. "I don't want to go running," she whined.

"I'll leave you alone when you're done being grounded. I want to be in the office by 8:00."

Charlie groaned again, pulling the sheets back up. She wanted to ask why he was so eager to get to the office on the first Saturday that he hadn't actually needed to work in weeks. He didn't need to be in the office at all, and certainly not by 8 AM.

"We're heading out in ten minutes," he said.

The lump under the blankets didn't move and Harvey pulled the blanket from her grasp. Harvey knew Charlie. He needed to make eye contact of she'd roll back over and ignore him until he barged in again. Charlie still pretended to be asleep and Harvey shook her gently.

"Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape."

Harvey's face broke into a smile. "Planet of the Apes, nice one. Ten minutes, alright?"

"Yeah, alright." Charlie pulled herself out of the bed as Harvey shut the door. She stretched her hands above her head and stepped out to the small balcony outside her bedroom. Charlie leaned over the edge, looking down at the empty street below. Once again, Harvey and Charlie were up before the sun but she knew by the time they headed out it the sun would be coming up.

Charlie knew she lived a privileged life under Harvey's care. It hadn't always been that way and she was thankful even if she sometimes forgot to tell him. Even when they fought, Harvey took good care of her, providing for her in ways that most people could only dream of.

Her brain reminded her that she needed coffee and Charlie receded back into her bedroom, quickly pulling on some clothes. She settled into the chair beside Harvey at the table. He had the morning newspaper in his hand and as he set down his coffee mug, she took a sip. Harvey glanced at her.

"What?" she asked, smiling at him.

"Nothing." Harvey looked back to his paper as Charlie stole a strawberry from his plate. "You know that you can get your own," he said, "I make enough money to support both of us eating a healthy breakfast."

Charlie shrugged. "Yours is closer. Do I have any text messages?" she asked.

Harvey set the newspaper down. "Excuse me?"

"You took my phone over a week ago. I just wondered if I had any messages." Charlie nibbled on another strawberry, looking up at him with big eyes.

Harvey grunted in amusement and pushed the plate towards her without answering. "Finish that and let's go." He pried the coffee mug from her hands, taking it with him as he took a few steps away.

"Aw, c'mon. I just want to know if I have a social life once you're done keeping me prisoner."

Harvey leaned against the counter, looking at her as he took a sip of the coffee. "Let's go."

Charlie hated running but she liked spending time with her brother. Harvey was a regular runner and his idea of grounding Charlie meant spending her free time attached to his hip. On the weekends, that meant going for a run at some ungodly hour of the morning before the sidewalks had an opportunity to become overtaken by tourists.

* * *

"Keep up, Char," Harvey said as she jogged a few paces behind.

"I thought you weren't mad at me anymore." Charlie was huffing and holding onto her side as she pulled up next to him at an intersection. Harvey was still jogging in place.

"I'm not mad."

"Then can we slow down a little?"

"It's not supposed to be easy. You're out of practice."

"Thanks, you really know how to make a girl feel good about herself. Can we go home now?"

Harvey shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that and we're not done."

"Fine. Let's race then. Make it interesting," she said. Charlie sprinted away from him in the direction of their building.

Charlie couldn't win a race against Harvey, at least not a fair one. Where she was short, Harvey was tall. Where she was slow, Harvey was quick. But Charlie was clever and she had taken to exploring their neighborhood on several occasions.

Not bothering to look behind her to note Harvey's progress, Charlie took a quick left through the housing complex. She knew it was faster than taking the main streets. Charlie pumped her legs, pushing herself despite the searing burn in her lungs at each breath and the pinching in her side.

The front of their building was vacant and Charlie slowed to a walk, nursing the stitch in her side as she moved towards the door. She smiled at Victor at the front desk as she came into the lobby, pausing briefly to say hello and ask about his classes.

"You're grounded?" Victor asked.

"How did you know?" Charlie smiled at him. "Because you don't run voluntarily."

"Yeah, you're right."

It had taken months to establish any type of relationship other than professional with the young front desk attendant but they were now what Charlie considered to be friendly. Most people were friendly with her simply based off of her association with Harvey, but her relationship with Victor was a bit more sincere than that. She liked to bother him when Harvey wasn't home, asking him questions about the city and about his life. Victor also proved to be impressively good at calculus. And he wanted to be a math teacher when he finished up his degree.

Charlie stepped into the elevator, groaning when she realized that she didn't have the key card to let her up into the apartment. "Can you buzz me in? Harvey has the key."

Victor didn't answer, but she heard the buzz and the elevator doors closed as she leaned back inside. Charlie propped her foot against the wall, stretching out her calf muscles. When she looked up, the elevator had brought her to their apartment. She could see Harvey smirking from behind the kitchen island. He could distinctly see her lips form the word 'goddamnit' as she waited for the doors to open.

"That damn Victor. He let me prattle on down there, didn't even tell me you were already here."

"I swore him to secrecy."

"How?" she asked. "How is this even possible? I ran so fast."

" _I win. That's what I do_."

"No, _I_ win. That's what _I_ do," she corrected. Charlie walked over to the kitchen island. Harvey pushed a tall glass of water in her direction.

"Maybe you win with other people. Remember, you learned from the master." Harvey tapped himself on the chest.

"Well, master, I hope you're proud of yourself. You beat an out of shape sixteen-year-old with short, chubby legs."

Harvey frowned at her description. Some girls were so unsure of themselves, especially at Charlie's age. His sister had always been quick to point out her self-perceived flaws before someone else got the chance.

"Don't do that to yourself."

"Do what?" she asked, sipping innocently from the water.

"You know what," Harvey said.

"Well, we can't all be Harveys and Donnas. Most of us are just common peasants."

"You're not a common peasant, Charlie." Harvey couldn't stop from laughing as he said it. "But you're right. I am rather good looking, aren't I?"

"If you find that pretentious 'I spent $500 on this haircut and need more time in the mirror than my teenage sister' type good looking, then sure."

"Excuse me?"

Charlie shrugged, stifling her laughter. Harvey cared about appearance too, he just wasn't self-conscious about caring. He knew how the game of life worked. Looking good was important. It determined how you were to be treated.

"You know, everyone who meets you proceeds to tell me how much you look and act like me, so be careful with your insults."

Charlie scoffed. "I don't look like you. You and Marc both look just like Dad. And luckily for me, that means there is no way I look like you." Charlie smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. Harvey wasn't her full brother. Gordon Specter wasn't her father, not where biology was concerned. She wasn't a Specter by birth, only through adoption.

Harvey set down his glass of water, feeling a slight shift in the tension of the room. The topic didn't come up often, but each time it did, Harvey realized that Charlie was still processing.

"I'm going to shower," she said, excusing herself as Harvey gave her that look she knew precipitated a serious conversation. When Harvey came around the counter to stop her, Charlie held up a hand to cut him off. "It's okay, really. I shouldn't have said it."

"Charlie, listen to me. He is your father. And I am for damn sure your brother. I don't care what the DNA says. You're more Specter than you are anything else."

The deep breath Charlie took hurt her chest. She often questioned how she got so lucky with Gordon, Harvey, and Marcus. Charlie supposed that she had her mother's incompetence to thank. Lily had been the one to drop her off at Gordon's house with little more than the clothes on her back. She had been the one to sign away her parental rights. Lily had been the one who thought she would be better off with her ex-husband and the father of her boys, a blood relative of Charlie's or not. She had always been surprised that the Specter men didn't hate her. She didn't understand how Gordon had it in him to care for her. After all, her conception was essentially the reason why his wife left.

Charlie started when Harvey's hand forced her chin upwards.

"Kiddo." Harvey spoke with such a kind gentleness that forced Charlie to choke back at the resounding soreness making her throat feel tight. She didn't want to cry. It had been a joke. It had been lighthearted. Still, she didn't speak. She wasn't sure if there was anything she could say without breaking down.

Harvey shifted his hand to her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. "Dad loved you best of all. You know that."

Harvey felt Charlie's body quiver in his arms and part of him regretted saying it even if she had needed it. Harvey had always had a special bond with his father. He knew that Gordon was like that with each of them, though he had expressed it best with his sister. Harvey figured it was because she was a girl and it came easier. And Charlie had needed more reassurance, more attention. By the time Gordon adopted her, he was in a better position to give those things than when he had been raising the boys. Both Marcus and Harvey were pretty much grown and on their own. Gordon's work life was winding down. She had arrived at the perfect time.

Harvey settled his chin on top of his sister's head. Out of principle, he never let her go until she initiated. He tried to be more like his father for Charlie's sake. Gordon had come to a point in his life where he was emotionally present for Charlie at all times. Harvey struggled with that level openness about his feelings, but he tried.

Charlie knew not to expect the same type of response from him in public that he might offer in the privacy of their own home. And she knew that he didn't share his own emotions unless it was for her benefit. Everything else stayed locked up inside.

Harvey's hand stroked her hair gently, each stroke settling her breathing. "I know you miss Dad. I miss him too," Harvey said.

Charlie pulled away, pushing herself onto the stool beside her. She smiled weakly at her brother. "I do miss him sometimes," she confirmed. Charlie thought about her father most days, it just didn't hurt as much anymore. Time was funny in that way. "Thank you, Harvey," she said.

"For what?" he asked.

"You know what," she answered.

Harvey nodded, leaning forward to place a kiss on her forehead. "Anything for you, kid."


	7. The Judge

**Why don't you let me be the judge of that?**

* * *

When Harvey had informed Charlie that he would be sending her to a private school, complete with uniforms and high academic achievement requirements, she had basically said no thank you and continued on with her day, dismissing the whole idea. It had been the first time that he had really had to put his foot down with her.

Charlie had gotten used to not being in school. She had gotten used to trips to museums, wandering around Pearson-Hardman offices, and spending time snuggled up next to him on the couch while he worked from home. She had gotten used to spending time with him and Marcus, who had been visiting at least until she got settled. It hadn't really occurred to Harvey that Charlotte was nervous to start a new school and meet new people. She had been overly charming and eager to meet everyone at the office. If she went missing, he wasn't surprised to find her in the bullpen entertaining the associates, asking them questions about law school and what it was like to have a job, an apartment, a boyfriend, drink alcohol. She had even completely charmed Jessica, something that Harvey still struggled to do on some days.

When he brought her to Oliver's office, coming inside with her only because it was her first day and because Oliver was an old school friend, Charlie had been clingy. Charlie had always been a little too attached to him, but it had been different since their father's death. Harvey and Oliver were mid-conversation and a twelve-year-old Charlie held tightly onto Harvey's hand with a sweaty palm though Oliver had tried to engage her in conversation. She had loved Oliver when she was younger.

"Oh, you must be the new girl!" Charlie moved closer to Harvey then, turning to see a boy and a girl staring back at her. The boy rolled his eyes dramatically, bringing a hint of a smile to Charlotte's face.

Harvey couldn't deny he was worried about leaving Charlie here as she clung to him. He was just confused. These kids looked nice. She knew Oliver. Charlie loved school and books and learning. What was the big deal? He'd talk to Donna about it later or just look it up himself. The last couple of weeks, Harvey had spent a lot of time asking Donna and google for advice.

Oliver cleared his throat. "Good morning, Miss Sorenson. This is Charlotte Specter. And we refer to people by their names here at Hudson."

"Of course, Mr. James. I apologize." The girl turned to Charlotte. She was wearing heeled shoes and a flowered headband to keep her long chocolate brown waves out of her face. Charlie sensed popularity when she looked at this Miss Sorenson in the same manner that she looked Charlie up and down. It had taken some convincing for Harvey to get his sister to agree to the uniform. It was Donna who had made a comment about Harry Potter, suddenly making the idea of a school uniform cool. Harvey didn't have the first idea about Harry Potter, but he knew that it wasn't a compliment when his sister proceeded to call him a muggle.

"Well then. Hello, Charlotte. My name is Louisa Sorenson and I am the grade six class president and this is Noah. He is my vice president. Mrs. Henderson sent us both down to bring you to class and show you around." She shot a glance in Noah's direction with something close to contempt. "I am so excited to have a new student here. Mrs. H said you grew up in the country? That's exciting. You don't hear of that very often around here."

"What's exciting is you get my seat so I don't have to sit next to Louisa anymore. Been waiting for seven long years for someone to transfer in with a last name that falls in between Sorenson and Tabor. You, my dear, are a saving grace and it's a pleasure to meet you," Noah stepped forward, standing next to Louisa.

He held out a hand for Charlie to shake. Harvey felt her grip loosen on his hand and he moved to stick his in a pocket, watching as Charlie wiped her hand down on her school skirt before taking the outstretched hand. Who the heck were these kids? Sixth graders weren't this eloquent in his day. The boys certainly weren't calling the girls 'my dear.'

"You can call me Charlie."

"Well, Charlie, it's nice to meet you and I am forever in your debt." Noah bowed lightly, kissing Charlie's hand as he stood up with a smirk on his face. "Anything you need, you name it."

"Alright, Romeo," Harvey said.

"Mr. Tabor," Oliver scolded.

The boy held up his hands in surrender.

"Don't mind him, Charlie. You can hang out with me and you can call me Isa if you want. And this must be your…" Louisa paused, looking up at the well-dressed man in front of her. She wasn't certain that he was Charlotte's father.

"This is my big brother, Harvey. He's a lawyer."

Harvey felt an indescribable surge of pride, though Charlie had barely said anything. _My big brother, the lawyer._

"Well, Mr. Specter, it is a pleasure to meet you. Your sister is in good hands," Louisa said.

"Wait, you're a lawyer?" Noah had nudged Louisa off to the side so he stood in front of Harvey.

Harvey nodded.

"Harvard Law, Class of 2020. I've been cross-examining since age three," Noah said with a smile.

"Talked himself out of a detention just last week. You might be out of a job in a few years," Oliver said.

Harvey couldn't help but laugh. Both kids had impressed him.

"Stick close to this two, kiddo. They're going places."

Harvey saw Louisa's pink peacoat through the window and braced himself for whatever was coming. She had clearly been waiting for them to arrive and that usually meant that she wanted to speak with Harvey, not Charlotte. He briefly scanned the crowd for Noah. He was the more sensible of Charlie's friends, calmer and a little less brutal. Noah was a little afraid of Harvey, but Harvey doubted that Louisa feared anything. He didn't dislike her but Harvey barely had enough patience for dealing with Charlie and Mike. He got more than enough contact with kids from minding the two of them.

Louisa was intelligent, confident, and deliberate; all qualities which Harvey respected. At twelve, she had had an intricate understanding of and ability to navigate their upper-class Manhattan world better than most adults. Harvey had watched the girl try to teach his stubborn little sister how to traverse it. He was almost certain that Charlotte was resistant to it just for the sake of being resistant. Charlie had found solace in Noah because that kid didn't give two shits about what other people thought of him and Charlie appreciated that sentiment even if she had yet to embody it.

Louisa leaned in the open car door, preventing Charlie from slipping out even though she had already gathered her bag and put one foot out the door. She looked at Harvey with a charming, perfect smile, revealing the deep dimples in her cheeks.

"Good morning, Mr. Specter. Very nice to see you."

Charlie rolled her eyes before settling back in her seat. If her friend wanted something bad enough to break out that smile, Charlie knew better than to try to stop her.

"Good morning, Louisa," Harvey answered.

With that, Louisa glanced down at Charlie, who now appeared to sink down into the back seat. Whatever her friend was about to initiate, Charlie just wanted it to be over so she could get out of the car.

"You look tired," Louisa commented, a smile reappearing on her face quickly after she spoke the words.

Harvey knew enough about girls to know that was a nice way of saying 'you look like shit.' He took in his sister's appearance for the first time that morning. Maybe she did look a little tired. Frumpy and punk were two words that also came to mind. Her hair was mostly hidden underneath a black knit hat. Under her maroon school cardigan, she was wearing a white oxford shirt that was loose-fitting and long enough that it might have come from his own closet. It looked like she was wearing black leggings with combat boots. Harvey rolled his eyes. He didn't know where she got her sense of style from or how she got away with skirting the school dress code like she did.

Charlie had been quiet the entire way to school, another thing Harvey hadn't noticed until Louisa had poked her head into their car. Even now Charlie was quiet. He knew that she wouldn't have typically taken Louisa's comment lightly. The two routinely jabbed at each other innocently, though sometimes a bit savagely, until Noah got annoyed and intervened.

"Bye," Charlotte mumbled, scooting towards the door.

"I've got a few meetings this afternoon," Harvey answered.

Charlotte nodded, grateful that she would get the office to herself if he was tied up in meetings.

"Speaking of afternoons…," Louisa interrupted. She perched herself on the edge of the back seat, forcing Charlie to scoot closer to her brother.

"We need to go to class, Isa," Charlie insisted, gently elbowing her friend.

"We have plenty of time," she answered dismissively.

"Well I'm sure Harvey needs to get to work and Ray probably has places to be as well," Charlie said, "Let's go."

Harvey looked to Louisa, eyebrow raised, "Make it quick, Louisa."

"Ok, well. Can Charlie come over to my place on Saturday? It's been ages."

Charlie smacked her hand against her forehead. Louisa's parents were out of town this weekend. Charlie had already told her no.

"It's been ages because she's grounded," Harvey answered.

"Isa, get out of the car," Charlie said.

Charlie tried to push Isa out the open door, but she wasn't budging. Harvey couldn't deny that his sister's friend had a certain boldness that he esteemed.

"Charlie _needs_ to come over Saturday afternoon, Mr. Specter."

"The only place Charlie _needs_ to be on Saturday is home. She has plans," he answered.

"I know. Plans with Donna. But that's at night. _This_ will just be during the afternoon, but actually, if Donna has other things she'd rather be doing, Charlie could just spend the night with me."

Harvey gave a glance towards Louisa that clearly said you have got to be kidding me.

"You know, Mr. Specter, out of our whole grade, Charlie is the only one who ever gets grounded and babysat anymore. I myself have never even been grounded. We're sixteen, you know, not exactly children any longer. I think she's more than learned her lesson."

Harvey exhaled, his patience running thin. He didn't need parenting advice from a teenager.

" _Why don't you let me be the judge of that_?" he snapped a bit harder than he meant to.

Charlie visibly cringed at his tone. He usually reserved that for when he was exceedingly frustrated.

"Louisa, can you give Charlie and I a moment alone so we can discuss this, please?" Harvey asked, gentler.

As he spoke the words, Harvey's eyes were on Charlie. It wasn't out of her nature to have someone else do her dirty work. Maybe that explained why she had been so quiet. Louisa scooted out of the car, a bit deflated, and Harvey reached across Charlie to pull the door shut. Charlie scooted over to the door, putting distance between them.

"Did you really think that was going to work?" he asked.

"She did that all on her own," Charlie mumbled, her arms pulled tight across her chest, "I don't think you needed to snap at her like that, though."

Harvey ignored her reprimand. "And what was that bullshit about you being the only kid to ever get grounded? She come up with that all on her own too? I think you know better."

Charlie shrugged, "Pretty sure I'm still allowed to bitch to my friends. I mean, unless you want to forbid that too. Might as well hold my mail. I won't talk to you or Donna or Mike or Ray either if that would please you."

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked. Charlie liked to do this. Go off on confusing rants where she left out important details as to what actually made her upset in the first place. They had been getting along fine until this morning.

"It's nothing. Can I go?" she asked.

"Why is she so eager to have you over?" Harvey asked.

"It doesn't matter. I don't even want to go." Charlie didn't want to go into it. She wasn't going to make him question the quality of her friends over something she wasn't even going to participate in. He trusted her with Louisa and Noah. If she was going to blow that it wasn't going to be over something this stupid.

"You really don't want to go?" Harvey asked, skeptical.

"No, and it's not like you're going to let me anyway."

"No, I'm not. Like I told your friend, I'm the one who gets to judge when you've learned your lesson, got it?"

Charlie didn't answer. She wanted to punch Harvey's smug face. Charlie knew that most siblings fought, but she had never really had any physical altercations with Harvey or with Marcus. They were too much older than her, too much stronger and the relationships were just different than with most brothers and sisters. She had seen Marcus and Harvey go at one another, but neither had ever laid more than a playful hand on her. She felt fury surging through her veins now, though, and all of it was channeled directly at Harvey. But she was also confused and hurt. She settled for using his favorite word until she could sort herself out.

"Whatever. Can I go to class now?"

"You think that attitude is going to help your case any?"

"Have a nice day, Ray," Charlie said as she reached for the door handle, irgnoring Harvey.

Harvey made eye contact with Ray in the rearview mirror and Ray's expression told Harvey that they needed to leave now unless they wanted to be stuck in traffic. He let her go without another word.

"Teenagers, huh?" Harvey said.


	8. Don't Keep Things From Me

**You don't keep things from me.**

* * *

"What is wrong with you this morning?" she asked.

Charlie was in homeroom with _Wuthering Heights_ open on the desk when Louisa finally found her. Louisa mechanically clicked her black, shiny kitten heel while she waited for Charlie to respond. Charlie closed her book, frowning and giving her friend a look that communicated something to Louisa only because the girls knew each other so well by this point. Louisa took the seat in front of Charlie, turning backwards in the chair to face her.

"What is wrong with you, Isa?" Charlie countered.

"I was just trying to help you," Louisa said.

Charlie exhaled, pushing her hands through her hair.

"You weren't helping. Where's Noah?" she asked.

"How should I know? Just tell me what's going on," Louisa shot back.

Charlotte was the common denominator between Noah and Louisa. She doubted that they had been talking at all outside of school since Charlie wasn't sending group messages. Noah and Louisa had spent the seven years before Charlie transferred in speaking solely through the use of insults. There were days when the two continued to lend preference to that method.

"You know how he is. He likes to talk. I like to text," Louisa shrugged, waving it off indifferently.

"Yeah, right, of course, I know. Why do I get the feeling that you two wouldn't even be friends if it weren't for me?"

"Probably because we went to this school together for years and Princess here didn't have a nice word to say to me until you waltzed into our lives."

Noah handed coffee cups to both girls, pushing his hair out of his eyes and smirking towards Charlie.

"Well aren't you just a clever little prince?" Louisa said while Charlotte muttered a quick thank you. It was going to be one of those types of days where her only friends were at each other's throats. Charlie took a sip of the coffee before interrupting their conversation.

"So, I found a letter from my father stashed away in Harvey's stuff."

"From your father or your _father_?" Noah asked, sipping from his own coffee cup.

"Biological."

Realization dawned on Louisa's paling face. Charlie gave her a quick glance, knowing that Louisa was lost in her own thoughts. It was something the girls had in common, daddy issues. Louisa's was never home. Charlotte's dads were either dead or in prison. And then there was Harvey, who by default and by practice, won 'parent of the year' between Louisa and Charlotte's parents. Where Harvey grounded Charlie for weeks at a time, Mr. and the second Mrs. Sorenson took trips around the world for months at a time, leaving his only child with minimal supervision from her nanny-housekeeper. Noah on the other hand had two amazing dads.

Noah pushed himself on top of the desk adjacent to Charlie's, settling himself on their classmate's desk though their first class was due to start soon.

"What did it say?" he asked.

Charlie shrugged. Noah was patient. Louisa was quiet.

"I only got through the first line. He asked me to come visit him."

"In prison?" Noah asked.

Charlie nodded, "I guess so."

"How long has it been?" he asked.

"I don't know. Before I moved in with Harvey."

Charlotte knew exactly when she had last heard from her him. She remembered it clearly.

"Are you going to go?" Louisa asked suddenly, as if she had only just tuned in to the conversation.

Again, Charlie shrugged. She hadn't had the time to really think it through. She had only seen the letter for a moment while Harvey was in the shower. Charlie had been looking for her cell phone when she came across it in the drawer of his desk.

"I just can't believe he kept it from me."

"Maybe he just got it," Louisa answered. She was typically quick to defend Harvey.

"It was postmarked two weeks ago," Charlie answered dully, playing with the lid of the coffee cup, "So I think he's had it awhile."

"Maybe he just didn't know how to tell you," Louisa said.

"He probably doesn't want me to go, but it's not really up to him," Charlie said.

"Maybe he just didn't want to upset you," Louisa suggested, "Or maybe he was waiting until you weren't grounded anymore."

Charlie took a deep breath. It was quite possibly the stupidest thing she had heard and even though it probably wasn't true, even the prospect of it made her angry.

"Maybe he's just being a jerk. He's always talking about trust, trust, trust and here he is just lying to my face about _my_ father. He has no right."

"So, say something to him, then. Harvey's cool, as far as parents go," Noah finally spoke up. He was often the voice of reason between the three. One of his parents was a psychologist and the other worked for the UN. He was a natural mediator who saw both sides of every issue.

"Noah's right, Charlie," Louisa answered, "Doesn't happen often, but he's right."

"He's just going to go all lawyer and turn it around on me. He'll be pissed because I was in his stuff and especially after that stunt you just pulled."

Louisa shrugged. Noah didn't even bother asking what stunt Louisa had pulled.

"So, what if he is angry? Your brother's kind of hot when he's angry," she answered.

Charlie blinked at Isa, scoffing in disbelief. Louisa had always had a little crush on Harvey and she was rarely ever subtle, but this wasn't the time.

"What? I'm just being honest."

"You're being a fangirl and it's not the time," Noah interjected.

"If anyone's a fangirl, it's you. Trying to be Harvey's little protégé. Like he'll ever let you intern there."

"What if I said your mom is hot?" Noah answered, changing the subject.

"She's _not_ my mother and she's certainly _not_ hot," Louisa scoffed, "But Harvey _is_ handsome."

"Yeah, well, he's my brother so calm yourself."

Isa smirked, shrugging her shoulders. Charlie knew that someday after they went to college, that girl would find herself someone rich, successful, handsome and well-dressed to settle down with – someone just like Harvey. Even now, Isa went from the more popular boys in school, dragging Charlie along to parties and double dates. Noah always found a way to get out of those types of obligations when it came to Louisa.

"Well, he seemed open to you coming over on Saturday. Maybe he's feeling guilty about it."

"You thought he seemed open? You're nuts, Isa. I'm not going anywhere Saturday. I wouldn't be surprised if he tacked on an extra week now."

"Yeah, well with that outfit you're asking for a detention and an extra week. You get ready in the dark, Specter?" Noah nudged my boot, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Oh, you shut up. I was preoccupied this morning," Charlie answered, hitting Noah with her book as their teacher started rollcall.

Charlie tried to focus on her teacher's description of thermodynamics, but her mind continued to wander back to the letter. There were certain ideals that both Harvey and Gordon had engrained in her from a young age, ideals that from her perspective, Harvey was violating.

He was big on trust. He was also big on her being honest and open with him no matter what. He didn't care if it was uncomfortable for either of them or if it would get her in trouble. Harvey wanted his sister to come to him with issues and questions sooner rather than later. The lawyer part of him knew it was easier to deal with things before they became real problems. The brother part of him knew that Charlie tended to over analyze until she drove herself to a level of anxiety that was intolerable for anyone. It all boiled down to loyalty, integrity, and trust from Harvey's perspective and it was the only thing he ever got truly upset about when it came to Charlie.

The memory of the first time Harvey had ever gotten truly angry with her was something that would stay with Charlie forever. She had gotten C's on her first three science quizzes at the Hudson School. She hadn't been caught up on the material yet. It had been expected, but Charlotte didn't know that. Growing up, there had been very clear rules about school achievement. Charlie had always easily gotten A's, so it had never been an issue. She used Harvey's signature stamp at the office to sign off on the quizzes, but it had come out in the wash at her parent-teacher conference.

Harvey didn't appreciate being made to look like a fool and Charlotte had done that to him. He had tried not to look caught off guard when the teacher mentioned Charlie's grades, but he hadn't exactly seen it coming. His Charlie was a straight A student and she certainly didn't keep things from him. But Harvey had pretended that all was well, like he had known of the quizzes all along. He would deal with her lying on his own because they were a team and he was going to be loyal to her.

Charlie had been cheerful when he picked her up from her outing with Donna.

"Why are you so grumpy?" she asked.

" _You don't keep things from me,"_ Harvey had said to his little sister in the back seat of Ray's car. Harvey didn't bother masking the irritation in his tone.

And overall, she tried to live up to that standard. Harvey couldn't always trust that Charlie would come to him, but for the most part, she did. He figured that her hesitance came from the fact that she was a teenager and that he doled out the reprimands. Charlie wasn't a masochist and was smart enough to know that some things could be omitted without breaking trust. And Harvey knew that she usually came to him or to Donna, and now even to Mike, when it really mattered.

Charlie couldn't wrap her head around it. She had never known Harvey to keep this type of thing from her before. It simply was not like him. Harvey was forthcoming with Charlie with just about everything. Charlie always assumed that her brother wasn't keeping things from her, but then again, maybe he shared just enough to keep her happy and oblivious.


	9. Choices

**Apologies for the long break between updates! Hope you enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **You always have a choice.**

* * *

"Ready to find out what's next for our Zodiac friend?"

Ray held the door open for Charlotte as she approached the car. She slipped into the back seat without even the slightest glance in Ray's direction.

"Sure, whatever you want," Charlie answered.

Charlie pulled the door closed before Ray could do so himself. She leaned her chin into her hand as she rested her elbow on the door and stared out the window. Charlie had been quiet during the morning commute, busying herself with a textbook while Ray drove. Charlotte had insisted on getting to school early to study for a test and Harvey had elected to walk to the office rather than making Ray come back to the apartment to fetch him in rush hour traffic. Ray excused Charlie's near silence that morning on account of the early hour but it was now 2:30 on a Friday afternoon. Ray had known her long enough to know that something was wrong.

While Ray and Harvey had bonded over music, Ray and Charlie had gotten into a habit of listening to real crime podcasts and audiobooks during their solo rides through Manhattan. Their latest endeavor was a book on the Zodiac killer, which Charlie had been eager to continue with up until the last couple of days. Most afternoons, Ray and Charlie found themselves taking the long way from Hudson School to Pearson-Hardman's offices in order to finish a chapter.

"I don't want to overstep here but is everything okay?" he asked.

Ray had been about to pull into traffic, but instead, put the car in park when she didn't answer. Turning in his seat to face Charlie, Ray saw the tears in her eyes. Being a professional driver in NYC, Ray had had his fair share of overly personal experiences with riders, tears included, and he dealt with it as a professional courtesy. It was different with the Specters. It wasn't just about the pay or professional courtesy with them. It was friendship. They were family. Charlotte had even babysat his children a couple of times over the years.

"Did something happen at school?" he asked.

Charlie took a deep breath, wiping at the wetness under her eyes and shaking her head. Ray knew that nothing had happened at school. Things had been tense between Charlie and Harvey over the past couple of days, though Ray wasn't about to push that line of questioning.

"No, everything's fine. I'm sorry."

"Are you sure? You can talk to me."

"Yeah, I'm fine and thanks," Charlie forced a smile, "Do you think you can you just take me home?" she asked.

"Home? Are you trying to get me fired, Miss Specter? I've got a family to feed, a big family," Ray joked.

Charlie let out a light chuckle, "Please? I'll tell him I forced you. I don't care. I just want to go home."

"Why don't you call Harvey and just ask if that's okay with him?" he suggested.

"Because it's easier to ask for forgiveness."

"Give him a chance to say yes, Charlie."

She exhaled deeply as Ray handed his cell phone back to her before driving in the direction of the firm. She knew that he wasn't going to give in to her without Harvey's permission. No matter how well Ray and Charlotte got along, his loyalty was to Harvey, his employer. She hesitated for only a moment before dialing the office number.

"Harvey Specter's office."

"Donna, can you put Harvey on?" Charlie said.

"I think you meant to say, 'Hello Donna. How are you? It's Charlotte. Can you please put my brother on if he's free?'"

Charlie could hear that Donna was busy typing something. Annoyance surged through Charlie's veins.

" _Fine_. Hello, Donna. How are you? This is Charlie, can you please put my brother on if he's free?" Charlie repeated, her voice a low monotone.

"Your brother's here," Donna answered, "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing. Can you just put him on?"

"Charlie, you remember who you're talking to, don't you?" Donna asked.

"Can you just put my brother on the phone?" Charlie asked.

"Excuse me?" Donna asked.

"Please just put Harvey on. I need to talk to him."

Charlie heard a click.

"Fuck," she said quietly into the phone.

"Nice language. And hello to you too." Harvey said.

"Sorry, I thought Donna hung up on me."

"Uh huh and why are you giving her a hard time?" Harvey asked.

"More like the other way around," Charlie ground out, "And I didn't have a choice. She was being, well, you know, _Donna_ ," she added, not feeling the need to explain further.

" _You always have a choice_ , Charlie," Harvey said.

It wasn't like Charlotte to be rude to Donna. The two were usually so annoyingly in sync, frequently ganging up on Harvey in a display of what Harvey labeled as girl power. Donna just said that they were awesome.

Charlie rolled her eyes, "Yes, I know. You've told me a thousand times."

"And I know for a fact that getting on Donna's bad side isn't a very good one."

Charlie didn't answer right away. She could have avoided talking with Harvey altogether if she had just gone to the office and hid out in the bullpen or the file room. Harvey cleared his throat.

"Well, she started it, Harvey. You know how she can be."

"Alright, enough. I've got a meeting to prepare for so you wanna tell me what couldn't wait until you got here?"

"Can I go home?" she asked after a few seconds of hesitation.

"You're grounded, Charlie," he answered.

There was silence on the other end of the line as Charlie leaned her head to rest on the window and she let out a long, frustrated exhale.

"I knew you'd say that."

"What is going on with you today?" he asked.

"Can I please just go home? Ray said he has time to drop me off and I just want to go home."

It would go against Harvey's better judgment to say yes, but there was something in the quality of Charlie's voice that made him want to give in. Like Harvey, Charlotte needed alone time. It had been a long couple of weeks for her, spending all of her free time by Harvey's side or at the office. He also knew that she hadn't been sleeping well, evidenced by her late nights and early mornings. Charlie had barely spoken to him during breakfast and she had left the apartment early. Harvey had been a little distracted with work and hadn't been overly concerned by her morning moodiness. And he couldn't blame her now for wanting to go straight home on a Friday afternoon. He was eager to start the weekend himself.

"I'll be home early. Be good, Charlotte," he conceded.

"I will," she answered.

"I mean it. Be good."

Charlotte hung up quickly, passing the phone back up to Ray while they waited at a red light. She settled herself in the backseat, looking out the window and willing herself to focus on the podcast that she now insisted he put on.

Despite Charlie's best efforts, her mind was on the letter. She had taken it from Harvey's desk after he went to sleep and spent the night working the situation over in her mind. Her father didn't just want to see her. He was up for parole in a few months. He was getting out. She didn't know why but the idea made her sick to her stomach.

She knew that Harvey hadn't intended on hurting her by keeping it from her, but it hurt her all the same. And even if Charlie had gotten to the understanding that it had been well intentioned, she was still angry. It had been addressed to Charlie. It was _her_ biological father. Whether or not it was hard, she had the right to know. After all, the man had her address. What if he just showed up one day without any notice?

Charlotte holed herself up on the couch, pulling the blanket from the end of her bed and curling up in front of their television, though she wasn't watching. She couldn't stop herself from contemplating what else Harvey was keeping from her, how many other letters he had stashed away. Harvey was a lawyer and an avid poker player, surely, he wouldn't have difficulty in lying to his little sister. Her father didn't lie to her and he had always been open with her, but now she questioned him too. Charlie curled under the blanket with a frustrated stream of tears on her face.

She didn't remember falling asleep on the couch but opened her eyes to see she had been out for a few hours. It had been the sound of dishes and smooth jazz that woke her, telling her that Harvey was already home. She rolled over, facing the back of the couch and hoping to fall back asleep.

"You enjoy your afternoon soaps?" Harvey asked from behind the kitchen counter.

The TV was off now, but Charlie knew that she must have left it on. She sat up, feeling overly warm and dazed. It was barely 5 PM and Harvey was already changed into jeans and a sweater. He was cooking, something which had been happening less and less often these days. Charlie walked towards him, the blanket still wrapped tightly around her shoulders and dragging on the floor behind her. She was still wearing her school uniform and her hair was a mess from the nap. Harvey smirked as he looked at her, feeling a wave of nostalgia. She looked so young, still overcome with sleepiness.

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight," she mumbled.

"Dinner's almost ready," Harvey answered, squinting his eyes at her.

Charlotte glanced to the stove and she could tell that Harvey was making mushroom risotto, one of her favorites.

"I'm tired," she answered, her gaze moving back to Harvey's face.

"You just woke up."

"Harvey," Charlie whined, her foot making the slightest attempt at a stomp on the floor though she didn't move from her spot. Harvey rinsed and dried his hands, flinging the towel over his shoulder before beckoning her closer to him. He wouldn't deny that something looked off. Her skin was both pale and flushed and there were dark, puffy circles under her glassy eyes.

"Do you feel okay? Did something happen at school?" he asked.

Charlie pushed his hand away before it made contact with her forehead. He grimaced, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back against the counter.

"I'm fine, just tired," she answered.

Harvey nodded, turning back to the stove. "Well, if you're fine, you can sit down to eat something then."

He didn't believe Charlie's assertion that she was fine, but who was he to argue with his teenager about going to bed early on a Friday night? Charlie's shoulders slumped in defeat and let out a quiet groan. She shuffled over to the table, sitting down with her blanket still wrapped tightly around her and pulling her feet up to sit cross-legged on the chair.

Harvey had been hoping for some quality time with Charlie. He watched as she moved the food around her plate, not looking up to him or even pretending to take a bite. He had been hoping for an opportunity to talk to her about the letter. Judging by her manner, Harvey had a feeling tonight wasn't going to be the right time to bring it up.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?" he asked when he could deal with the solitary sound of utensils scraping on the plate no longer.

"Nothing," she mumbled, focusing on moving a piece of mushroom in circles.

"You're not eating."

She pushed a spoonful into her mouth and looked at him expectantly as she swallowed.

"Or talking," he said, giving her the same expectant look.

"I don't feel like it."

"Since when?" Harvey asked.

"Since I don't."

"Is this about what happened with Donna earlier?" he asked.

"Am I still going there tomorrow?" Charlie asked, hoping to divert his conversation.

"Why wouldn't you be?"

"I pissed her off."

"You piss me off all the time and I still let you live here."

Charlie knew he meant it as a joke, but she couldn't find it in herself to laugh or even smile.

"Charlie, you mean a lot to Donna."

"I know," she answered, taking another bite of food, "Can I be excused?"

Harvey looked down at her half empty plate and reluctantly gave her a nod, watching as she scrapped the leftovers into a container and placed it in the fridge. The kid had never thrown away leftovers, citing the starving children in Africa and now the homeless people living on the streets and in shelters.

Harvey remained at the table for quite some time after Charlie retreated to his room, his mind also concentrated on the letter. Evan Marshall's letter had thrown him off a little more than he'd like to admit. His emotions towards the man were tied up in his memories of the day when he saw his mother _with_ him in his childhood home, presumably the day when Charlie was conceived. And the emotions were also tied up in Harvey knowing that the man had been an alcoholic and that he had been convicted of murder.

Harvey recognized the prison's zip code and opened the letter upon receipt, stashing it away to revisit at a later time. He didn't even know how the bastard got their address. Marshall had written Charlie letters a few times before. Their father hadn't kept the letters from her, but Charlie's breakdown was fresh in Harvey's mind and it just didn't feel like the right time.

Was there ever going to be a right time to say 'hey kid, your deadbeat dad wrote you a letter begging you to come visit, promising he's a changed man. If you agree to go see him, you'll be disappointed because he's a dirt bag. If you don't, then you'll live with infinite guilt because of some stupid social rules about blood.'? But then again, who was he to make that decision for her? He just wanted to protect her.

It was late when Harvey headed towards his bedroom. Charlie was still wide awake though she had gone to bed sometime before six. On hearing his footsteps in the hall, she had steadied her breathing and turned over in the bed. She had perfected the act years before.

On Harvey's visits home, she made him promise to come check on her when he returned home from outings when friends or dates. Charlie usually tried to wait up for him and make sure he kept his promises, pretending to be asleep if she was awake when he finally arrived home. He had yet to let her down.

Charlie watched the sliver of light expand on the wall as Harvey opened her bedroom door. She closed her eyes as Harvey stepped closer, his shadow on the wall growing larger within the light. Her heart pounded as Harvey stood beside her bed. Charlie felt him pull the covers up, though they were already above her shoulders.

"Love you, kid," he whispered before kissing her at the temple and moving towards the door.


	10. I Know People

**I know people usually better than they know themselves.**

* * *

Charlie brushed past Donna with little more than a quiet 'hey' as she forced her way into the apartment. She headed straight for Donna's couch, without a response, immediately kicking off her shoes and getting comfortable. Charlie had hopped out of the car and had made it up to Donna's apartment quicker than Harvey could keep up with.

"Well, it's wonderful to see you too."

Donna stood near the door, figuring that Harvey couldn't be far behind Charlotte. She wasn't letting him go out on his date without first explaining what he had done to cause his sister's mood. First Charlie was snapping at her on the phone yesterday and now the kid was practically ignoring Donna in her own home. The Charlie that Donna had come to think of as a little sister was far from perfect, but she rarely took up any negative relations with Donna. More often than not, Charlie saved the unpleasantries for Harvey.

"What exactly did you do to cause that?" Donna asked as Harvey came through the door.

Harvey glanced around Donna to see that Charlie had already curled up on the couch and covered herself with one of Donna's blankets. He knew that Donna would get the information from Charlie if he didn't talk; he'd rather she heard his version first, not that it was very good or complete.

"I didn't do anything to her yet," Harvey answered, pushing a hand through his hair.

They had done nothing but snap at each other all day. He had been just a few cross interactions away from extending Charlie's grounding when she just stopped talking to him altogether and shut herself in her bedroom.

"Mhmm. I'm sure that's why she looks so miserable. No one is ever that upset to hang out with me, Harvey. I didn't give up my weekends to deal with a moody teenager. _Your_ moody teenager, mind you. I go through enough dealing with you all week."

"And what else would you be doing on a Saturday night?" Harvey asked with a smirk, her dig at his temperamental moods not going unnoticed.

"Getting free drinks and free dinner someplace nice, among other things," Donna said.

"Who ever said you weren't getting free dinner?" Harvey said as he casually slipped a crisp $50 across the counter, "Chinese takeout is on me tonight. Order an extra eggroll."

Donna rolled her eyes.

"You're gonna have to do a whole lot better than that if you plan on having a happy, well-adjusted sister to take home in the morning. My services don't come cheap, darling."

"I'm aware."

Harvey took out a credit card and set it next to the $50 bill. Donna chuckled, pulling both into her grasp.

"So, what exactly did you do then?"

Harvey took a deep breath and took in Donna's appearance for the first time. She was wearing black leggings and an oversized emerald green sweater, beautiful in a way that was casual and natural. He had always been impressed by that. Sure, she always looked put together at the office, but seeing her on off-time was something different. Harvey quietly watched Donna as she was watching his younger sister. He could tell that Donna's heart was already distracted by trying to figure out what was going on with Charlie. Donna was processing everything; the thought was clear on her face as she nibbled on her bottom lip. Harvey was lucky to have friends that cared for Charlie as much as he did, especially Donna and Mike. He had needed their help with raising her more times than he liked to admit.

Donna turned back to him.

"So?" she asked, "What did you do?"

"To be honest, I'm not even sure this time," he conceded, "She's been like this since I got home yesterday. She knows I'm seeing Scottie tonight. I know she's not thrilled about that, but…"

"But that doesn't bring this sort of thing out in her. Let me talk to her. I'll figure it out," she answered, folding her arms over her chest and turning to face him completely. "You owe me, Harvey."

He nodded. "Why does it seem like I'm always owing you something?"

"Because I'm Donna. You would be lost without me, especially when it comes to the little girl moping on my couch, that and every other portion of your life."

Harvey unconsciously nodded his eyes on Charlie. She had already pulled out a book as she sat cuddled on Donna's couch.

"Don't worry, Harvey. She can never stay angry with you for long. She loves you."

Harvey didn't respond. He knew from experience that loving someone didn't mean you couldn't stay angry with them. Donna's hand slipped over Harvey's on the counter and she offered a reassuring squeeze before leaving the kitchen to stand in the hallway.

"Charlie, let's go pick up some dinner. Ray can drop us off."

Harvey followed and watched Charlie pick herself up off the couch, slow and indolent. When Charlie shuffled over to where they stood, Donna excused herself to get her coat and shoes, leaving Charlie to focus on anything but her brother.

"I hope you don't plan on giving Donna the silent treatment all night long. She's doing you a favor here," Harvey said. He hadn't meant to sound instigating, but the frustration of the afternoon was still apparent.

Charlie snapped back, "She's doing _you_ a favor. I'm sure you've given orders for her to figure out what's wrong with me."

He didn't like the tone, but they were both straddling a thin line so he let it go. Charlie's patience was growing thin at the same rate as Harvey's. Harvey took a deep breath, forcing a smile when he refocused on his sister.

"Enjoy yourself a little tonight, alright? Don't take whatever you're upset about out on Donna."

Charlie didn't answer, sending a quick glare in his direction, before busying herself in her handbag. At least he acknowledged that she was upset though that didn't make her want to talk to him. Charlie was angry with herself for not speaking up more than anything, but his demeanor wasn't helping.

"We're going to have a great time, Harvey. Don't you worry about us."

Donna smiled, running a gentle hand through Charlie's long waves. Harvey couldn't find it in himself to return the smile. Instead, his gaze settled on his sister before Donna pushed them both towards the door.

Charlotte gave Donna a pointed look after Harvey got into the car on the opposite side.

"I'm not sitting in the middle," she grumbled, though admittedly she didn't usually mind taking the seat closest to Harvey. There was once a time when she occupied that seat even when it was just the two of them in the back seat of Ray's car.

"Donna doesn't slide, little chick."

With a Vanna White hand, Donna offered the seat to Charlotte and she begrudgingly slipped in next to her brother.

"Can't I just sit up front with Ray?" she asked before putting on the seat belt.

Donna slid in beside Charlie, removing the opportunity.

"Well, isn't this cozy?" Donna said smirking.

"I'm really getting too big to be riding bitch."

Harvey's hand slapped his own forehead though he very much wanted to reach out and slap the back of his sister's head.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked.

Charlie shrugged, turning towards Donna and effectively excluding Harvey from their conversation. He busied himself on his phone in the interim.

"What are we getting for dinner?" Charlie asked.

"What would you like?" Donna asked.

"Sushi. And dessert. And an expensive bottle of wine."

Harvey coughed before interrupting. "What?"

"You heard me," Charlie answered without turning to him.

Donna held back her smile until Charlie finally turned towards her brother.

"You want to try that again?" he asked.

"Not particularly," she answered with a shrug, "What's the problem? You let me drink."

"First of all, watch the tone. And second, I wouldn't consider allowing you to taste things once in a while me 'letting you drink' and you're still grounded."

"Whatever, Harvey."

Harvey looked over Charlie's head as she turned back to Donna.

"One," he mouthed to Donna as he rolled his eyes.

Donna was quiet when they sat down in the restaurant. She made no show of trying to hide the fact that she was watching Charlie and reading into her every move and expression.

"So, what did your brother do?" she asked after their food arrived.

"Nothing," Charlie answered.

She sipped on the straw in her glass of water.

"Charlie. This is Donna you're speaking to here."

Charlie shrugged.

"You've got sushi rolls in front of you and you're not eating them. There's something wrong."

Charlie almost chuckled, remembering that Harvey had made the same accusation at dinner the night before. She picked up a piece of sushi with her chopsticks, making a production of dipping it in the soy sauce before placing it in her mouth. Donna squinted at her for a moment, unhappy with the progression of their conversation thus far.

"Is this about the letter?" she asked.

Charlie stopped chewing, staring wide-eyed at Donna as she swallowed the food mostly whole, causing a pain in her throat.

"He told _you_?" Charlie asked accusingly, her voice quiet and fragile.

Donna took a deep breath as she watched Charlie break in front of her. She slipped over to Charlie's side of the table and pulled the girl into her arms just as she dissolved into tears. She signaled to the waiter while she rubbed small circles on Charlie's back with her other hand.

"We're going to need all of this to go," Donna said to their waiter with an apologetic smile before diverting her attention back to Charlie.

Back in her apartment, Donna let Charlie pour out their glasses of wine while she cut and plated their cheesecake. Charlie had stopped crying during their cab ride home, promptly closing herself up against Donna's prying. Charlotte hadn't had any intention of letting Donna intervene and Donna didn't push the conversation. She smirked to herself as she watched Charlie over pour the amount of wine in their glasses, but didn't complain.

The two of them curled up on the couch under a blanket, plates of cheesecake in hand, their sushi dinners abandoned in the fridge while _His Girl Friday_ played in the background. It was a movie that Charlie frequented to despite Donna's large collection. It had been a gift from Harvey, purchased shortly after she had come to work with him at Pearson-Hardman years ago. Whether that information subconsciously played into Charlie's decision, Donna wasn't certain. Charlie evaded conversation, seemingly focused on the movie as she sipped wine through a plastic, looped silly straw. Donna didn't even know that she had them stashed away in her pantry, likely from when her nieces and nephew visited. Donna wasn't surprised that Charlie would want to sip her wine through a straw and had opted to join her in the endeavor.

When one of the movie's cleverest lines didn't elicit even the slightest acknowledgment from Charlie, Donna paused the movie. She flipped on the light, seeing Charlie quickly wipe at her eyes, her empty wine glass discarded on the end table.

"Chickie," Donna cooed.

She didn't miss her adolescence. She didn't miss the uncertainty and while Donna knew that Charlie's experience was unique from her own, she recognized Charlie's growing pains and was reminded of her own. Donna opened her arms without another word and Charlie quickly bridged the distance between them, soothing the girl until her sobs turned to words. At that point, Donna just allowed Charlie to talk freely, not needing to prompt her to share.

"He didn't mean to upset you," Donna offered, "Everything he does is because he loves you. You're the most important thing in his life."

"But we aren't supposed to keep things from each other," Charlie answered.

"I know, Charlie. You're not wrong. He broke his own rule, but he was trying to protect you…" Donna replied, biting her bottom lip.

"And now I've gone and kept this from him and he's probably going to be…"

Charlotte knew how Harvey's lawyer mind would work.

"He's not going to be upset with you, little chick. I won't let him be."

The kid lived and died by Harvey's rules. Sure, Charlie had her rebellious moments and she liked to challenge Harvey, but more often, she strived to make him proud and to live up to his standards. When he sought her advice, Donna had told him that only trouble would come from not telling Charlie about the letter. She wasn't surprised that Charlie felt wounded by this.

Charlie dug into her purse, pulling out the envelope and handing it to Donna, who looked it over, scrutinizing the words though she was already well-acquainted with the content.

"What do you think?" Charlotte asked.

"I think that's up to you and Harvey to decide that," Donna answered.

Charlie nodded before zoning out on something on the other side of the room.

"Charlie, talk to me," Donna asked as she saw the tears brimming again in Charlie's already raw eyes.

"I'm just tired," Charlie answered.

Donna pulled Charlie down to rest her head against the pillow in her lap, stroking her hair. She could tell that Charlotte was more than physically tired.

Stepping into Donna's apartment at 2:00 in the morning, Harvey was surprised to still see that she was still dressed and wide awake.

"Coffee or wine or scotch?" she asked.

"Coffee," Harvey answered, noticing that Donna was standing closer to the cabinet that held her mugs.

She nodded, pulling them out to sit on the countertop while she waited for the coffee to finish brewing.

"Date didn't go well?" she asked.

Harvey gave her a sideways glance, avoiding her question. "How was she?"

"She'll be fine. How are you, Harvey?"

"I'm fine, Donna," he allowed, though his tone showed signs that he didn't mean it. While conflict made him excitable at the office, conflict with Charlie impacted him in a more visceral way.

"Is that why you're in my apartment and not with Scottie right now?"

Harvey stared at her, saying nothing though his silence said a lot.

" _I know people usually better than they know themselves_ , Harvey, and I specialize in Specters."

Not wanting to play games with him anymore, Donna slipped the envelope across the counter towards him. Harvey felt a heaviness in the pit of his stomach, but also a rush of relief. If she already knew, he no longer needed to figure out how he was going to deliver the message.

"Well, at least she knows," he offered.

"She's very upset, Harvey, with you and about the letter. She hasn't been sleeping because of it. She only fell asleep here because she was so exhausted and cried herself to sleep."

"You got all that from one glass of wine?" he asked.

"I'm Donna. She told me what the problem was with no glass. Wine got me all of the details."

Harvey looked doubtful.

"So what if it was a big glass?" she shrugged.

Harvey heard Charlotte whimper from the other room. His mind involuntarily brought him back to when she was just a little kid. He had always thought that she had grown out of the night terrors, but after years of living with her, he had learned that they were just less frequent.

It had been over a year since her last night terror as far as he knew. He was sure that the letter was to blame for her suffering now, that his not telling her was to blame. Harvey wasn't supposed to disturb her, but he couldn't help himself. He gently repositioned her body on the couch so that he could sit down beside her.

"It's okay, kiddo. I'm here," he said quietly, pushing the hair back from her face.

When Donna realized that Harvey wasn't going to be coming back to the kitchen, she took both mugs out to the living room, setting Harvey's down on the end table before curling up in the chair across from him. She watched fondly as Harvey doted on his sister. He had snaked an arm over Charlie's shoulder and Charlie's hand had grasped onto his, pulling it close to her body. Donna knew that she was lucky to see this side of them. She saw glimpses of this side of Harvey with Mike, but here he was completely unguarded as he cuddled his sleeping sister.

"She's going to be fine, Harvey, she loves you, but you have got to talk to her."

Harvey was still preoccupied with Charlotte. She had now nestled herself comfortably into his side, her sleep less restless because of the contact.

"Thanks, Donna," he answered.


End file.
